Federal Retirement Made Simple

FEBA hosts about four live webinars a month. Visit https://dub.sh/jMgYBjt and join us for an upcoming webinar. We’d love to help you feel more confident about what comes next.

Planning to retire from federal service in the next year or two? The decisions made in the months leading up to retirement can have a lasting impact on your pension, benefits, and financial security.

In this episode, Justin Pierce walks federal employees through three important steps to take before retiring: reviewing their service records and estimated annuity, understanding which benefit elections can and cannot be changed after retirement, and choosing a retirement date that makes the most of their pension eligibility.

The discussion also addresses common retirement application mistakes, potential delays in receiving the first pension payment, and why having enough cash set aside during the transition is essential.

Before submitting those retirement papers, make sure everything is in order. A little preparation now can make a significant difference in how smoothly retirement begins.

In This Episode: 

- Retiring in 2027 or 2028? Start preparing now

- The paperwork and timeline

- Benefit elections and post-retirement changes

- Choosing your retirement date and preparing for delays

- Recap and final recommendations

Connect with FEBA:

• Website: https://www.myfeba.org/
  
  

Disclaimer:
The information presented in this program is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Please consult a qualified professional regarding your own circumstances before making financial decisions. This program is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or any other federal agency.

Retiring soon?

FEBA hosts about four live webinars a month. Visit https://dub.sh/stc7V9f and join us for an upcoming webinar. We’d love to help you feel more confident about what comes next.

Ask a federal employee what their pension will be, and they'll usually shrug or give a rough guess. In this episode, James Campbell walks through the FERS pension formula: what counts toward the High-3, what determines if an employee can retire without penalty, and why reaching age 62 with 20 years of service changes the math for life. 

James compares two versions of the same employee with 25 years of service and a $100,000 High-3. Retiring at 61½ produces a pension of $25,000 a year. Waiting a few months until 62 produces $27,500 a year for life, with cost-of-living adjustments. The only thing that changed was a birthday. The formula is simple, but the hard part is knowing it early enough to influence your benefits.

In This Episode: 

• What is your High-3 and how is it calculated?
• The best day of the month to retire
• How sick leave converts to service time
• Example: retiring at 61½ vs. 62

Connect with FEBA:

• Website: https://www.myfeba.org/

Disclaimer:
The information presented in this program is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Please consult a qualified professional regarding your own circumstances before making financial decisions. This program is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or any other federal agency.

FEHB premiums are going up again in 2027, and for many federal retirees, the increase is far bigger than their cost-of-living adjustment.

Retiring soon?

FEBA hosts about four live webinars a month. Visit https://dub.sh/CywIiHv and join us for an upcoming webinar. We’d love to help you feel more confident about what comes next.

In this episode, Justin breaks down the numbers. Enrollees will pay an average of 10.9% more toward FEHB premiums next year, while most FERS retirees will receive a 2.6% COLA, and inflation is outpacing that too. He explains what this gap means for the real value of your retirement income and why your investments need to help close it.

Justin also covers what to check this open season, which runs November 9 through December 14. Nine FEHB plans are being discontinued, and if you're in one of them and don't pick a new plan, you'll be placed in a default plan. He also explains why retirees on Medicare Part B should look for a plan that offers a Medicare reimbursement, or “giveback.”

Finally, Justin walks through how pairing Medicare Parts A and B with FEHB creates a coordinated benefit, with Medicare paying first and FEHB second, that can wipe out most of your out-of-pocket costs for the rest of your retirement.

In This Episode: 

- What’s changing with FEHB in 2027

- A 10.9% premium increase vs. a 2.6% COLA

- Open season dates and the nine discontinued plans

- Why you want a Medicare Part B reimbursement

- The coordinated benefit: Medicare A and B with FEHB

- Recap and how to join a FEBA webinar

Connect with FEBA:

• Website: https://www.myfeba.org/

Disclaimer:
The information presented in this program is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Please consult a qualified professional regarding your own circumstances before making financial decisions. This program is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or any other federal agency.

Retiring soon?

FEBA hosts about four live webinars a month. Visit https://dub.sh/ztY3tBf and join us for an upcoming webinar. We’d love to help you feel more confident about what comes next.

When was the last time you looked at your TSP allocation? If it’s the same mix you picked in your twenties, or the one a coworker swore by years ago, it's time to revisit it. 

Today, James Campbell walks through the five core TSP funds in plain English and spotlights the one he says is the most misunderstood: the F Fund. Despite its “fixed income” label, it can lose value. He explains how that affects people close to retirement.

James also explores what happened to retirees who were heavily invested in stocks during major market downturns and why timing matters when withdrawals begin. 

Ultimately, the goal isn't simply to choose a fund. It's to understand the questions you should ask before moving a single dollar.

In This Episode: 

• Understanding the five TSP funds
• The F fund problem
• Too conservative vs. too aggressive
• Three questions to ask before changing anything

Connect with FEBA:

• Website: https://www.myfeba.org/

Disclaimer:
The information presented in this program is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Please consult a qualified professional regarding your own circumstances before making financial decisions. This program is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or any other federal agency.

Federal Retirement Made Simple is the podcast that explains the TSP, FEGLI, FEHB, survivor benefits, Social Security maximization and the forms needed for retirement for FERS and CSRS employees. If you are a federal employee who is about to retire or already retired, this is where you get your benefits explained in plain English by people who have done it for 30 years.

Each week Justin T. Pierce and James M. Campbell, fiduciaries and Federal Retirement Consultants (FRC℠) at Federal Employee Benefit Advisors, take one question federal employees actually ask and answer it completely. Which TSP funds to hold and when to move them. How to pair Medicare with FEHB. How your High-3 and years of service really calculate your pension. What FEGLI costs after 60. Which survivor election to choose. Why retirement applications get delayed or denied.

No market chatter, no generic retirement advice. Just the benefits you already earned, explained so you can retire on time, comfortably, and without a second job.

New episodes every week. Follow the show, and when you have a question about your own situation, register for a free live webinar at myfeba.org.

Federal Retirement Made Simple is produced by Federal Employee Benefit Advisors (FEBA). We are not affiliated with the TSP, Thrift Savings Plan, tsp.gov, frtib.gov, or any U.S. government agency or uniformed military services.